Debatification!

[bcholmes]

We watched the French language debate from Haiti. CTV was the only place I could find that wasn't streaming Windows Media format, but they choked. So we watched a CBC feed on P's Windows box.

I'm not crazy about the format. I think the short time for answering questions leads to useless statements like, "As Prime Minister, my government will do good things. We'll work hard, and we'll also work closely with the other leaders, because we're cooperative." I mean, really, that was pretty much every question. Get in to some details. I think Duceppe did best in terms of specific, focused details. Unsurprisingly, Harper got attacked on arts programmes and the environment. I like that the group managed to plant the message that Harper is autocratic and ignores the rules he doesn't like. I also think that Dion did a pretty good job.

Both Layton and Harper seemed more proficient in French, compared to the last French debate I saw. But Harper still reminds me of a used car salesman.

I think I was most disappointed by Elizabeth May. I expected better from her. She wasn't terrible; I just had higher hopes, I guess. (But I loved her tremendously faint praise when asked to say something nice about Harper).

I'll be interested to see the news reports.

Comments

[suitablyemoname.livejournal.com]

I adored the set they used. You're right that some of the questions felt rushed, but having them around a table meant they were making eye contact with each other instead of speaking to the camera, and the whole thing felt much more like a civilised discussion of the issues than the usual screaming clusterfuck.

I also felt things improved significantly after that question that challenged them to say something nice about their neighbor, even if Elizabeth May totally blew it.

[drakkenfyre.livejournal.com]

I loved it, too. Much more civilized, by making it more human and intimate, IMHO.

What did May say?

And I totally missed the French-language leaders debate, darn it all. And I can't find it online anywhere. If anyone reading this knows of somewhere online to see clips, please let me know.